Undying
by Bookman230
Summary: Undyne takes a stand against the Fallen Human, and wins, just barely. But with all that determination swirling inside, there's no way she's getting out of it alive. Confronted with the final chapter, the undying faces her mortality, her memories, her legacy, and saying goodbye.


That kid… always following you around...

 _(He keeps shrugging you off, laughing you off, but that's been the story of your life. It_ _ **won't**_ _be the ending. He's gonna teach you every last cool thing he knows, or else your name isn't Undyne! He looks at you again, at the fire in your eye, and in his, there's a sizing up, an impressed acknowledgement under his tone. He laughs again, and even though you aren't laughing at all, it feels like he's laughing_ _ **with**_ _you._

" _Wah ha ha! You don't know when to quit, do ya, kid?"_

 _You grin, tell him you don't, never have and never will 'cause quitting is_ _ **stupid**_ _, and when he laughs, you laugh too.)_

All attitude, all loyalty, all bravery…

 _(You hate bullies. If you're strong, you help others, not hurt them. It's really simple stuff, but they're just too dumb to get it. There's five of them, but you're not afraid. Heroes like Gerson and Asgore wouldn't be afraid, and you're gonna be a hero too someday. Maybe the best. And Shyren needs you. You step between her and the bullies and put on your most intimidating grin and most heroic voice. "If ya wanna hurt anyone, ya gotta get through me first!")_

Can't keep their nose out of anything…

( _"Can I ask… why do you want to join the Royal Guard?"_

" _Cause people need me, sir!"_

 _He chuckles, not unkindly, but dignified and good-natured. "You sound sure of that."_

" _I've got the skill, that means I need to put it to use, you know? If I_ _ **can**_ _help our people, then I_ _ **have**_ _to help our people. That's just… how it is, or how it should be, or… whatever!" You feel stupid and awkward, 'cause that definitely wasn't winning any Speeches of the Year Awards (but those stopped after the Queen disappeared anyway). It isn't helped by how he stares at you, for just a moment. You_ _ **almost**_ _shuffle your feet, even._

 _But then he nods, a soft smile on his face. "I think you're right. I think we do need you."_ )

What was it Gerson always said to you…. History repeats? Maybe… maybe this kid will grow up like you.

"Undyne. You're… You're hurt.."

"Hurt? It's nothing." You even try to give a little chuckle to sell it. The old Gerson method. Anything sounds nice and good when said with a laugh. If you can still laugh, still smile… then things are good. Maybe you'll be the Gerson to this kid. Their inspiration. But they'll have to live, first. Papyrus was the same way towards you, and look at how that turned out, look at how you _failed_ him.

 _(You stop laughing him off and turning him away, you give him one moment of your time and he's looking at you like you're his hero. More than he did before, even. He kept coming back again and again, and you admire that spunk. And he just wants to help people, and you get that. Gerson was right. He's always right, not that you'd ever tell him that. History repeats. You let out a sigh, to make it sound like you're not getting excited about this, but okay you ARE, the guy has energy and heart and somewhere along the way you've started liking him._

" _Look, this ain't a yes-"_

" _OH. COULD IT BE A 'YEAH' OR 'OKAY' OR 'PAP_ _Y_ _ **YES**_ _'? I WILL ACCEPT PUN ANSWERS! THAT IS HOW SERIOUS I AM!"_

" _I'll tell you what it is!" You can't even sound mad or irritated, and you can already feel your grin growing. "You're gonna have to prove to me how serious you are! There's gonna be lessons, every day, and not just in fighting! You're gonna have to prove to me you're Royal Guard material in every part of your life! If you don't think you can, then back out now!"_

" _I CAN! MY CLOTHING ITSELF IS MADE OF ROYAL GUARD MATERIAL!" He's grinning, and you're grinning back, and he's already wormed himself into your heart, dammit!_

" _Then be here tomorrow, at noon, and don't be late!"_

" _I WON'T!"_

 _And he wasn't. Not once. Not ever. Until…)_

You shake yourself out of it. You can't drown in memories. The kid needs you. Time for a bit of Asgore.

(You don't look at the… creature. Isn't worth your time right now. This kid's about to cry. This kid feels guilty. And you can help.)

"Next time, listen when I tell you to leave, okay?" Gentle but firm. A little smile.

 _("What was that?"_

 _You had got in close to him, almost put your spear to his throat. Sure, technically, his trident would've stabbed through your stomach, but you knew he'd pull it back. You didn't predict his sidestep though. He sounds commanding, and you swallow. You know what part he's talking about._

" _...Strategy? I mean, I knew you'd pull the trident back, so…"_

" _And if this wasn't training? If I was a foe who threatened this kingdom, would you go through my weapon to stop me, even if it meant your death?"_

" _Yeah," you say easily, without hesitation. His eyes don't_ _ **harden**_ _, but they... solidify. He kneels down, places a hand on your shoulder._

" _We've had enough martyrs, Undyne." He sounds as kind as ever, but there's a resoluteness and firmness too. And above all else, a sadness that makes your heart hurt and angry at whoever made him sad, but you're one of them this time. "People care about you. You are important. And such a sacrifice is to be only a last resort. Look for another way first. Alright?" He's firm, but he doesn't sound mad at all. He just… cares. You're still not used to people caring about you like this. You don't know if you ever will be. You don't know if you ever_ _ **want**_ _to be._

" _...Okay.")_

"Undyne… I…" God, were _you_ this stubborn when you were this kid's age? Screw it, time for some Undyne flavor!

"I'll take care of this! Get out of here!" You're not being mean, you're just not allowing any argument, and you're saving this kid's _life_! They finally back away slowly before they take off in a sprint, and you let out a relieved breath. Maybe they'll follow in your footsteps. Maybe not. But as long as they just _live_ … that's enough. That's worth enough.

The cut hurts. Everything hurts, honestly. You've worked yourself sore, till you've collapsed. You've had tough sparring sessions. But this…

"...heh… 'It's nothing'… no…" You finally look at this…demon. Looks the same as always. That same freaking smile. Those same stupid eyes. Like, oooh, I'm evil, can ya tell? If ya can't, I'll help you out with my toy knife and blood-red eyes! That's new and original! You have a pointy weapon and cool eyes too, but you don't go around killing people! Those eyes are gleaming, the only difference you can see on the face, and you know. The bastard's _enjoying_ this. How can any one thing hate so much, to be able to wound you like this?

"S-somehow, with just one hit… I'm already… already…" You can feel it. Your body's starting to waver or desolidify, as… As Alphys would probably say it.

( _You've never heard someone more passionate. She was standing here, looking so lost. And now… Even if you don't understand all the deeper parts of her theories, you think you get the gist of them, and she's so_ _ **excited**_ _to share. Her hands are going everywhere, she's explaining it so clearly, and it's…_

 _Pretty._ _ **She's**_ _pretty. Not that you'll ever EVER say that out loud. She's pretty and smart and passionate, and you can't interrupt her beyond asking a few questions here and there. She's smiling, only like half self-deprecatingly, and your face shifts from being super captivated to grinning back._

" _I-oh, sorry, I… I get carried away…"_

" _Psh, nah! That was a lot of fun! Sorry for not saying too much. You were just super interesting, so all I could do was ask questions like a dope."_

" _I-interest…" She shakes her head. "N-no, all science starts with questions, and yours were really smart…" She stops, eyes wide. "Oh my god I haven't even asked your name I'm so rude-"_

" _Hey, don't worry! I haven't asked for yours yet either, so if you're rude, I'm rude! We match!" She giggles, and your heart beats faster and your grin gets wider. "I'm Undyne!"_

" _A-Alphys."_

 _Alphys. So pretty.)_

You thought… You _hoped_ you had more time. But you can feel it. This is… "D… Damn it…" Everything you say feels like it's dripping out, like a part of you is being lost every time, but you can't seem to stop. Even though the demon won't care. Hell, probably loves seeing you suffer. You still don't stop. You're always been like that, things just fall out of your mouth like anvils from a tsunderplane. Loud and unapologetic. And everyone always said you could never shut your mouth. Heh. They probably would've guessed it'd last all the way to your freaking _death_.

It wasn't supposed to end like this. You knew your job could end in death, and you weren't afraid of that. You just wanted it to _mean_ something. But you've _failed._ You've failed _everyone._

"...Papyrus…" He thought you were a hero… He thought you could protect him, protect everyone, and you _didn't_.

"...Alphys…" You said you'd be there for her. But you shouldn't make promises with this job. You _lied_ to her.

"...Asgore…" He put his faith in you and you're letting him down, letting _everyone_ down. You're slipping away. Falling apart. And it _hurts._ You close your eye. Just to rest for a second.

"Just like that, I… I failed you."

( _NYEH HEH HEH_

 _WAH HA HA!_

 _U-Undyne…_

 _ **Stay determined…**_ _)_

Your eye opens.

"No…"

Your body swirls back together. The demon raises an eyebrow.

"My body… It feels like it's splitting apart." But you won't let it. "Like any instant… I'll scatter into a million pieces." Not before you scatter _them_ first. "But…" You're not finished yet. Not yet. You _refuse_. "Deep, deep in my soul." Asgore… Papyrus… "There's a burning feeling I can't describe." Gerson… Alphys. "A burning feeling that WON'T let me die." Every monster in the underground… No… Every living thing period is at stake. "This isn't just about monsters anymore, is it? If you get past me, you'll… You'll destroy them all, won't you? Monsters… Humans… Everyone…"

The smirk tells you all you need to know. The sick _freak_. Say what you want about humans. You've probably said more than anyone. They hate, and kill, and destroy. But they feel other things too. They have to. But this one is one of a kind, and you can feel it. This human's nothing _but_ hate, and will destroy _everything_. Even humans don't deserve this. In this moment, monsters and humans stand together. They're all at risk. It's all up to you.

"Everyone's hopes. Everyone's dreams. Vanquished in an instant." Paps will never get to be a Royal Guard now, or drive his bed, or make all the friends in the world. Sans won't get a life with his brother. Shyren will never get to sing. And if this demon had their way… Alphys' research will never amount to anything. Asgore's garden will be crushed to dust. Mettaton will never be a star. The monsters will never make it out of the underground. And every monster and every human everywhere, every little goal they have. Gone.

 _No._ "But I WON'T let you do that. Right now, everyone in the world… I can feel their hearts beating as one." They're all counting on you. You could help. You have to help. You WILL help! You'll stop this evil right here, right now! No… You all will! Everyone on this earth! "And we all have ONE goal! To defeat YOU. Human. No. WHATEVER you are." Beast. Demon. Thing. It doesn't matter one bit! What matters is what they're _gonna_ be. DEAD. "For the sake of the whole world…I, UNDYNE-" Nice and loud, so you can _hear_ the all caps. Just the way Papyrus would've said it. But what is going to happen to the jerk before you… Papyrus was too nice to do anything like this. No, that's YOUR job. " _-will strike you down."_ There's a feeling in you beyond anything you've ever felt before. More than adrenaline, more than rage. It takes you a second before you can place the feeling. You grin.

You feel **determined**. The swirling pieces of your being condense once again in a blinding flash, and you're transforming, just like all that human anime history showed. Suck it, humans! It's not just for you! You're bigger and stronger and can barely hold in laughing. They thought one PUNY hit could stop you? YOU thought that? Ha! You're the heroine! You're Undyne! And you're **undying**.

"You're gonna have to try a little harder than THAT." They actually take a step back, and for the first time something other than hate and screwed up enjoyment was in their eyes. Fear. Or at least wariness. _Good_. You grin wildly. You _could_ catch them off guard. But you aren't going to stoop to their level. You'll let them have the first shot. And you barely feel it when they cut you again. You make _sure_ they feels your spears. Start slow… Speed it up… And a few cut through, causing the punk to grunt. You can see blood. Well. If they bleed… You can _kick their ass._

But instead of looking scared... Heck, they don't even look that _mad_. They look… excited. Excited that there's a challenge. You snarl. It's all a game to this thing. But it's gonna be one they lose. The wind is howling, matching the tune of your soul, and it flies at both of your backs as you dash and weave. It goes back and forth. Every hit you get in, the human sends back. And you get in a _lot_ of hits. With every one you get, the more interested and invested and… Hateful they get. They try harder and they cut harder, and they seem to have brought a whole freaking stockpile of food.

"Eat _this_!" They barely dodges your next onslaught, and they're tired enough that their next hit is one of their weaker ones. But they gotta run out of food sometime, and you're wearing them down, you can tell. You smirk after one of your spears knock them down, and they fumble for food.

"Need a break?" You ask, all fake pity. They just glare."I was thinking of starting with your _leg_." They actually laugh a little, and you do not want to acknowledge that you have a similar sense of humor as this demon, because one, you're a heroine and this is heroic spunk and snark, and two, it was an awesome line, okay!? They launch back in immediately after shoveling some cinnamon bun down its throat. Did they even taste it? Do they taste _anything_? You doubt they think about anything besides killing. And you have to admit, they're good at it.

They get you again, and even through the adrenaline haze you can dimly feel the pain building up. But you can see it in their eyes. The pain is building up for this demon too. No. Not a _demon_ or a _beast_ or _whatever_. Those things don't feel pain. Unstoppable forces don't feel pain. _They_ do. And so they're super _stoppable_. And after you psyche them out with some fake out spears that knocks them flat on their back, they reach for food that isn't there, eyes widening for a split second. Long enough for you to see.

"Out of food, huh? Guess this is it. The last stand!" Maybe yours, but you weren't going to tell _them_ that. "Know what I'm hungry for? _Vengeance._ " ...They can't _all_ be winners, okay!?

They stand up, smile widening, and eyes shining brighter with hate. They clutch their weapon tighter, staining it with blood. You clutch your spears, and you can see the specks of dust rubbing off on your weapons. Maybe if you're lucky, even if you lose (you WON'T, but if you do...) they'll still bleed out. But you don't think you're lucky enough even if you win to escape dea-... Heh. Then might as well go all out. Might as well make _sure_ they won't hurt _anyone_ ever again. You close your eyes, breathe in, and send a silent apology to everyone. You're disobeying an order from the king, but. There's no other way.

They twirl their knife in their hand. They have the creepiest freaking smile on their face right now, and it pisses you off. This, all of it? Is nothing to _smile_ about! You stare them down. You're not afraid of them. Let them make the first move. And they do, dashing off the ground, smile twisting into a snarl.

You dash in too. You don't make an effort to move out of the way. You just ready your spear at their throat. They're too mad, too eager, too passionate and hateful to notice. All they want is the kill. So you let them get it. Sucker. The toy knife stabs deep into you. But your spear goes out their throat. Their eyes widen, they gurgle, and they actually try to pull the knife out again. They don't even care about dying. Their last effort is _still_ to kill. Why? Why have that determination and use it only for yourself? Why use it to hurt other people instead of helping them? You don't understand. You don't think you ever will, and you're pretty sure you don't really want to. But before they can get into a stabbing barrage, you disperse the spear, and without it holding them up, they fall down. Surprisingly quietly too. After everything they've done, after what they built themselves up to be… it ends like this. A kind of anticlimactic quiet. Even the howling of the wind settles into a gentle yawn. You look down at them, and they look back, the blinding red starting to fade.

"...Do… Do you wanna know why you lost?" They don't answer, but you don't care. You're on a _roll_. "You were willing to die. Just to kill me. And I bet you… You're thinking I did the same thing. Dying to kill. But what I've done isn't _about_ you. I didn't die to kill you. I'm dying to… to protect _them_. Fighting for yourself… Fighting to hurt others… You were doomed to lose that way. Even if you got past me. Even if you killed everyone. Then what? You're done. You're still empty. Still alone. Nothing but the wind howling 'cause there isn't anyone else to.

"But helping everyone… That never ends. And you have all their hearts, all their dreams… At your back. I had all of them to fight for. You… You don't even fight for you, do you? You just… fight _against._ And… that's why you lost."

Their eyes are a strange mix of condescension, like they think you're a moron for believing this, and confusion, like they can't understand the process. And of… wistfulness. Like they… _wanted_ that life. Or once had it, and let it slip. Why? How?

"...What happened to you? You can fight. You don't give up. You could've done good, I guess, if you fought for something. Someone. But you can't even believe in hoping and dreaming. What life did you have that made you think _this_ was the way? I'll just… kill everyone instead of getting some freaking therapy or making a friend or two! What made you think it was… kill or be killed, and you were on your own?

"If… I didn't have Gerson and Asgore and everyone… if I had no one to fight for, if I was left alone with just me... Would I have been like…?" You think on it. Would you have been like them? Would you have lived for nothing but fighting and kicking ass? Would you get off on hurting anyone? If things went badly enough for you… For anyone… Maybe there was a demon in everyone, waiting to burst out. Maybe you're not so different.

You scoff. Screw _that_. "Naaaah. I'm screwing with you. I was a freaking urchin most of my life, and I didn't even _think_ about murdering everyone. Plenty of monsters have super sucky lives. Probably humans too. And they don't all go killing everything. I'm not crying for the devil here. Spoiler! We all start on our own! You _find_ and _choose_ your friends and family, but no. You _chose_ this, somewhere along the line. And you chose all along the way to not get off this road. You ran into my spear, punk. Cry for yourself. Cause thanks to what you've chosen and done… you're the only one who will."

They keep looking at you. Then they let out this rattle. Maybe it's a laugh, or maybe it's just their last breath. But they still, and those red eyes go dull. It's… Kinda weird. They were always moving, like this implacable killer. They felt like a demon when this all started, but like this… It's just a body. Just a person. And you realize they weren't a force, or some embodiment of hate or a demon sent to 'free' you from life or some junk. They were just… Some mean stupid kid. Who still killed a bunch of innocent monsters.

You hock a loogie and spit on them. "That was for Paps. The stabbing was for Paps too. And for Shyren. And the dogs. And… Look, all of that was for all of them, okay?" You don't get an answer. Running your mouth even now, with no one to hear and at the en-...

You stumble, falling back down on the bridge. You lie down, looking up. The pain is catching up now. Your body is… On its last legs. You hiss. This is it. The adrenaline is coming down, and dust is sprinkling everywhere you go, and it's… Wet? _Ew_. Was it even _possible_ to disintegrate and melt at the same time? Or were you doing the impossible even as you were _dying_? You let out a chuckle. You were so tough. And you said it. You're dying.

…

Shit. You weren't done… You're not ready to…

You growl at yourself. So what? No one's ever _ready_. No one's _done_ , until they just… Are. And you've… Said your goodbyes.

( _"I won't let you down, your highness. I'll stop this human. I_ _ **swear**_ _."_

 _His eyes are… sad. And you_ _ **hate**_ _it. He never deserves to be sad, but his heart hurts for everyone, for everyone they've lost to this_ _ **killer**_ _._

" _...I know you won't." His words are genuine. He's always genuine. "But Undyne. Please. We've lost enough people. Do what you must. But_ _ **only**_ _what you must. You are more needed than you think. And to lose you on top of what we've already lost… They will lose hope."_

 _You scoff. Not in like a mean way, but in a 'hey, c'mon' way. "We're tougher than that! This freak can't crush our hope and dreams! I won't let them! Even if it kills-" His eyes narrow. Right. That was the problem. But… you're not stupid, alright? Some people might think that, just cause you're loud and don't always notice how loud you are, and wear your emotions on your sleeve (or… sleeveless arms, whatever!). But you know what this job means. What it's always meant. And you'd die a hundred times to save just one of your people. You wouldn't even cry about it. Ha! Only a hundred? Try a_ _ **thousand**_ _, death, you wimp! And with this job, you can't promise anything. He knows that. So instead you say, "...I'll try my best to get back."_

" _Thank you. That is all I ask." Your body rises from your bow, but you keep your head low. You can't keep looking at his eyes. Those sad ones and knowing today, you're adding to it, even if you're doing it for him and everyone else down here. You start to turn, but-_

 _But he hugs you tight, and you resist the urge to break instantly or rub your face in his fur 'cause you're an_ _ **adult**_ _, dammit! You're tough! You eat rocks! And drink fire! With a side of pasta! Still. You clench his fur, and say, "...I'll make you proud." If he notices your voice is rough, he doesn't comment. And he doesn't notice! Cause it wasn't rough, cause you're tough! Rocks! Fire! Pasta!_

" _You already_ _ **have**_ _. Our hopes are with you. And we know they are in good hands.")_

...Hope. They're gonna need… They're gonna lose you, and if Asgore was right, if you really are important to them, they're gonna lose some if you don't give them it. But how… You reach for your phone. It's smashed to bits, and you curse. Now wha-

The cameras. The cameras Alphys set up. You won't be able to have a conversation, but her cameras can see you. Hear you. Maybe… She's still at them, watching. Either way, it's recorded. This can be your last will and testament. This is your moment of truth, in case your other heroic speech wasn't enough. So… Think of something. You will yourself to stick around a bit longer, and hiss at the burning liquid rushing through you.

"...Alphys? Are you still watching? I uh… I did it! I told you I would!"

( _You call her. It's easier. It's selfish and cowardly but it's_ _ **easier. "**_ _Alphys."_

" _U-Undyne!" She sounds so excited to hear you. Even now. She can't hide anything, and you barely notice you're smiling, just a little. "H-how… What's going on?"_

" _I'm on their trail. But they're not stopping. Everywhere it goes, there's… There's_ _ **dust**_ _. And this can't just be monsters who've tried to stop it. They're… they're hunting them_ _ **down**_ _! The sick_ _ **animal**_ _!"_

 _It's quiet on the other end for a moment. But when she does talk, she sounds calm. Surprisingly, most people would probably say. But it doesn't surprise you. Your Alphys comes through. "I'm sorry. That's… I-it's_ _ **awful**_ _."_

" _It is. So I need you to help me."_

" _I… M-me? How can I help? I-I mean, I will! Any way I can, just…"_

" _You can do a lot. I… I need you."_

" _...Okay." She sounds firmer than you've ever heard._

" _Evacuate people. Tell Asgore it's even worse than we thought. Get everyone you can and seal them in Hotland."_

" _Okay, b-but… It's just a precaution! You can beat them! I-I believe in you!"_

 _It still sets your soul on fire to hear that. And causes stupid little butterflies to flutter in your stomach. N-next to all the rocks! "Yeah. Yeah, I can!" Not a_ _ **lie.**_ _You_ _ **can**_ _do anything. You_ _ **will**_ _beat them. You're not lying to her or giving her false hope just as long as she doesn't ask-_

" _Y-you're coming back. ...Right?"_

 _...Crap. "I…" There was two people you could never tell the brutal truth to. Things like 'You're too_ _ **nice**_ _and_ _ **good**_ _for the Royal Guard!' and 'You shouldn't get too close to me, I'm a Royal Guard, I'm putting myself on the front lines, and I've heard Asgore's and Gerson's stories, it's brutal and so many of us died and I_ _ **will**_ _die if that's what it takes for us to be_ _ **free,**_ _if it keeps you all_ _ **safe,**_ _I'm just gonna break your heart and leave you alone, run while you can'. And look at what happened to Pap. 'Cause you couldn't tell him the truth. He's dead. 'Cause of_ _ **you**_ _. And you're gonna hurt her the same way if you lie to her, if you make promises you can't keep, so don't you dare, don't you_ _ **freaking**_ _dare-_

" _Psh! Duh! You think they can kill_ _ **me**_ _? I'm just being all better safe than sorry, like you always tell me!" Scum. You're freaking scum. You_ _ **have**_ _to make it back now, okay, you_ _ **have**_ _to._

" _I-I guess there's a first time for everything then."_

" _Hey!" She giggles, and it still makes you warm. It's still the prettiest thing you've ever heard. You'd die a thousand times to keep that sound around. A million. As many times as it took. "...I need you to watch me on the cameras too. Just in case."_

" _Y-yeah! I can do that! I… I won't let you down."_

" _I know." Say something else. This might be the last time you talk to her. Don't confess, not now, that'd be even scummier, but_ _ **something.**_ _It can't be something that worries her. But something she can hold onto. "Alphys?"_

" _Y-yeah?"_

" _I… Don't watch that historical record without me, got it? Hahahaha!" Nailed it._

 _She laughs though, so it has to be something right. "I won't. K-keep safe."_

" _...Yeah."_

 _Click.)_

"...I told you I'd come back too, but that ain't looking good. I'm... _sorry_ ," you choke out. "I didn't mean to lie, I just... I just didn't want to hurt you, and-and a lot of good _that_ did, huh? I wish it wasn't ending like this. I wish… I wish it wasn't ending at all." You clear your throat, because _dammit_ , you are _not_ gonna cry. A fire courses through you, and you amend the certainty to _probably_ not gonna cry. They need you to be strong. "I know I've already asked so much, but I... I gotta ask more, Alphys. Sorry. First... make sure this, or at least the important parts, gets to everyone. This is a message for all of you. These are my last words, and considering how awesome most of my other words are, you're gonna want to hear this, punks!" You give the cameras a grin, and you can feel how weak it is, but you try your best to make it look awesome anyway.

"First, Gerson…"

( _You march in the store, armor clanging. And he looks up, without deference or fear or anything, and laughs. Like he ever does anything different._

" _Wahahaha~! Armor looks as nice as ever! I bet if the human saw you in that, they'd shake in their boots!"_

 _You sigh. You're not in the mood for banter today. You use your most serious voice. "Gerson. I told you to go to Hotland." Your tone says not to argue._

" _Oh, I know!" So naturally he does. His grin doesn't slip an inch._

" _So go, you coot!"_

" _Hey! Have some respect for your elders! Besides…" His voice gets a little serious. "I'm not the only one risking my life, hm?"_

" _So what?" You ask, feeling defensive. "It's my job!"_

" _I know. And it's your heart too. I'm not trying to talk you out of it. But it used to be my job too. And if I can buy time for anyone else.. it'd be worth it."_

 _You'd always act offended and feel proud when people said the two of you had a lot alike. Right now, you feel annoyed, but mostly… afraid. "Gerson, don't be stupid. It could kill you."_

" _Nah. Not how it works in here! Even if they do, it buys time. I'm not moving." You stare him down. He doesn't flinch, and you give up, let yourself relax._

" _You'll be fine. Nothing can break that hard head!"_

" _Hey, you stole_ _ **my**_ _line, Undyne! Don't know why you need the helmet!"_

" _Look, if you're gonna stick around, at least tell me if you've seen… anything."_

" _Can't say I have. But I'm keeping my eyes peeled."_

" _Thanks. I'd love to talk, Gerson, really." And you would. "But..."_

" _I know. You've got monsters to save. Just… remember this for me, would ya? Since at this age I can't remember much."_

 _You nod. "What?"_

 _"There's a difference between a hero and a martyr."_

 _You take his words in. You stand there, looking for something right to say, but all that comes out is, "I'll see you, Gerson."_

" _I better! Wahahaha~!"_

 _You store that laugh in your SOUL, just in case it's the last one you'll hear.)_

"I didn't _lie_. I just didn't tell you _where_ you'd see me. Heh. I'm… I'm sorry. And… thanks. Thanks for taking a chance on me. You old coot." You smirk teasingly, and imagine him scoffing and rolling his eyes. It helps a little. "You gave me half of my skills, and you showed me that I can be more than a punk urchin, and I _never_ forgot that. Even if I acted like I did just to tick you off."

Your smirk fades. "...I figure.. if you're like me, it might be easy to lose hope when... when your student dies before you. They were gonna do even more great things, but now they aren't, and you feel like you've failed them. And that was never the future you were fighting for. But I chose this. I fought for all of us like so many of us did, and you inspired me to, and that shows how much more we can do! Don't give up on the future, old man. See it through. One of us has to." You adjust your seating and hiss.

"Speaking on students and failing them... Sans. Papyrus was either my fault, or none of our faults. Either way? It wasn't yours. He loved you more than anything, so you better get yourself out of bed. For him. He made people happy, and now he isn't here to, which means.. it's up to you, with your stupid puns and pranks and grins. Make others happy. Try to _be_ happy. Papyrus would want that. And I do too."

You bow your head.

"Your highness. I really did try my best. And I really tried to look for another way first. But I did what I had to to keep our people safe. So if you're looking for a 'sorry'... I can't give you that. But I'll give you this. This isn't your fault. It was my honor to serve and protect, and I'd do it again. For you and this kingdom, I'd do it all over. You gave me the chance to help, and the hope to try. They need you. So keep being the best king around, okay? Keep giving them hope. We've lost a lot, but we've still got a lot too. Don't forget that, or I'll haunt ya somehow, don't doubt me!" You grin wide, and ignore how your legs are pretty much gone now. Psh! Never needed them much anyway!

The bravado and grin falls as you think about who's next.

"...Alphys. The time we spent together was... amazing. I'm glad I met you. You inspired me, and you were always trying to move forward and be better even though it's _hard_ , and that's what I need you to do. Keep trying. I'm leaving, and I don't wanna, but I am, and the thing I hate most about it is it hurting _you_ , but the thing... the thing about dark times are that they're just dark enough so you can't.. you can't see the light ahead. I-it's uh... it's egotistical of me- surprise, right?- but I like to think... maybe I was one of those lights. And I have to believe more lights are coming. And if you keep trying and... and keep moving, you'll find more. You're one of those lights, Alphys, and the world is lucky to have it, so I'm asking you to.. t-to shine, best you can for me, 'kay? Keep being amazing and cool and... _you_. And I..." No. Don't. You always knew it was probably never going to happen, and you won't gut her anymore than you have to. "...I'm so lucky I went to the heap that day." Nailed it. "Living can be the toughest thing to do. But you're tougher. Remember that."

Time to bring it home. You exhale, you sit up, puff up, and _toughen_ up. The monsters need to see a heroine standing tall! ...Or sitting tall, whatever! You summon a spear and hope you're pointing it at a camera instead of away or beside it or something or you're gonna look freaking _stupid_.

"Listen up! We've lost a lot, I know that! But look at us! Look at who we are! We lost the surface, so we claimed the underground! We lost family, so we made friends! You're losing me, but you're gonna get more! And you know why?" You swing your spear to point at the human. "That punk wanted to crush our hopes, our dreams! And I wouldn't let them! The only way they win is if _you_ let them! Their SOUL is here! Asgore's gonna get it, and you'll be up on the surface! A whole new life is waiting for you!

"And even if I and some others aren't joining you... you still gotta _hope_. This... whatever wasn't all human. They wanted to destroy everything. Monsters, humans, you name it. So they can't exactly be used as a baseline for humans. I dunno what they're like up there. But whatever they're like, you'll make it through, cause that's what we _do_. Hope. Dream. Live. I fought for you guys, so you gotta fight for me, got it!? Fight for that happy ending! And remember, always remember, I believe in you. I... I love you. All of you. Even you, Mettaton." You laugh as you picture his pout.

"In fact... In fact, if you can find my dust... what I want it spread on... and maybe this'll sound creepy, but screw it! I want it spread on all of you, the best it can, so the essence of me can be like... like your armor! So you'll remember I'm always with you, that we're kicking butt _together_ , from here till the end of time! And it's not one-sided. It's going both ways. I felt all of your hearts with me when I went up against them, and I feel your heart now. So don't cry for me, thinking I'm dying alone! I'm... I'm not." It hits you like a snow wrestling tackle. You mean it. You're really not. Any stray tears evaporate, and you smile, feeling strangely... happy. "You're all here with me. I can feel it. And dying to keep you safe... that's worth it. So! Don't be sad! Be inspired! Be strong! Be _determined_! Nobody's alone! Everyone can kick butt and do good! As long as you all remember that, monsters will be undying! And so will I!"

Your body's falling apart. The burning's rising up through your torso, through your arms, but you're not afraid anymore. You're not! Let it come! "I'm Undyne! I'm not alone! And when the sun tries to scare ya, thinking its shininess and wannabe heat will send you out of the kitchen, stare right back!" Probably not the best advice, but screw it! One for the road! "Stare right back, know you're not alone, and laugh! Laugh in its big stupid sunny face!" You're gonna split apart any moment. But you're going out with a _bang_. You take a deep breath and try to gather everything you were, your passion, your determination, your SOUL… everyone you loved from Gerson to Alphys to Papyrus and every monster in the underground, and let it all out. And you laugh. A very special, kickass laugh no one could ever forget.

"NYHEHHEHHE-"

 _("UM, UNDYNE?" You have to give it to Paps, he really threw himself into cooking. Sure he had some initial questions and concerns, but when it came down to it, he_ _ **got**_ _to it. You're getting the sauce when you hear his voice._

" _Yeah, Papyrus?"  
_

" _IS THE WATER SUPPOSED TO BOIL?"_

" _Uh… yeah!" You think? Eh, whatever._

" _OH, GOOD! I THOUGHT SO! I WANTED TO CONFIRM FIRST, BUT I SEE THERE WAS NO NEED. I MEAN, LOOK! IT'S BUBBLING! WHAT ILL TIDINGS COULD BUBBLES BRING?"_

" _You know Woshua, right?" you joke as you gather the tomatoes._

 _He hums. "I DO, AND IT IS TRUE HE TAKES CLEANLINESS- AND EVEN BUBBLES!- TOO FAR EVEN FOR A CLEANLINESS CONNOISSEUR SUCH AS MYSELF. BUT STILL! HE'S NICE! THEREFORE, BUBBLES ARE STILL GOOD TIDINGS! ...EXCEPT THEY'D POP IN TIDES, WOULDN'T THEY? HM. THERE GOES THAT METAPHOR. ANYWAY, I DO HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION!"_

" _Shoot!"_

 _"IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE ON FIRE?" You turn to the flame with a grin._

" _Heck yeah! That's the best part!"_

" _OH! I WOULD'VE ASSUMED THE BEST PART WOULD BE EATING IT."_

 _"That's why you're the student, Paps."_

 _"GOOD POINT! SO, WHAT DOES A ROYAL GUARD DO AGAINST FIRE? PUT IT OUT WITH WATER? PUT IT AWAY… INTO SOME WATER? PUT IT IN… A CONTAINER OF WATER? I'M ASSUMING WATER IS INVOLVED SOMEHOW."_

" _Close! We laugh at it!"_

 _He blinks. "WE DO?"_

" _Fire's a bully, which means it's trying to scare us,_ _ **and**_ _it has confidence issues! So we laugh to show it we're not scared, and to make it simmer down! That's just science!" Probably! She'd ask Alphys later._

" _THAT MAKES SENSE. I CAN HELP! I'M VERY GOOD AT LAUGHING! IT HAS BEEN CALLED 'DISTINCTIVE' AND 'UNIQUE.' LIKE ME! AND MY SPAGHETTI. SO ONLY FURTHER PROOF OF ITS GREATNESS."_

" _You_ _ **do**_ _have a nice laugh," you admit._

" _AWWW, UNDYNE!" He sounds like he's two seconds from hugging you, so you put him back on task._

" _No time for mushy stuff! Laugh!"_

" _OH, YES, OF COURSE! AHEM. NYHEHEHEH!"_

 _His laugh_ _ **is**_ _nice. Loud, bold, passionate! Naturally, you take it as a challenge. "Hahahaha!" He joins in with you, and you laugh together. This is what you fight for, you think. Moments like this, monsters like this…. they make it all worth it.  
_

" _NYEHEHEH!"_ )

The laughter echoes, undying.


End file.
